No riding this weekend because I helped moved my youngest daughter Aleta and her boyfriend Enzo move to New York City. Following the U-Haul along in my Ford Ranger did offer an extended cage experience and the first time driving in an urban area since acquiring the Vespa.
Traveling east along Interstate 80 I became fully aware of how isolated I am behind the wheel. Those extra few feet between me and the road cuts off a lot of sensory experience. In its place comes a refocusing of attention on the radio, the temperature control of the air conditioner, the map, the seat position, and the cruise control. The world passes by and I hardly realize it.
Higher speeds are a given on the Interstate as we travel along at a consistent 70 to 75 MPH. And that just keeps us up with most of the traffic. I am surprised at how many motorcycles pass me at speeds I can barely attain on the Vespa with little or no protection. A great many riders on cruising bikes headed towards the Pocono Raceway seemed right at home at 80 MPH with nothing protecting their bodies other than hair, T-shirt, and sunglasses. We all make decisions about the level of risk we are willing to assume and describe to ourselves the outcome of an unfortunate incident on the road. I suppose these riders just tell themselves they are going to die.
All trips require nourishment and this was no exception. What better way to complement the elegant travel by Interstate highway than a stop at White Castle. I had not been to one since the 1980’s and I think I’m good now for another 25 years.
The rate of progress began to diminish as we approached the George Washington Bridge. Flashing signs a few miles from the bridge indicated a 90-minute delay to the tollbooths. Fortunately they were wrong and we only had to wait about 35 minutes. And traffic wasn’t even bad. I turn the radio off so I can fully experience the new driving patterns, habits and techniques that do nothing less than astound me. Even though traffic is moving at less than 10 MPH vehicles jockey for position and advancement across four lanes hoping to pick up a hundred yards of distance by the time we get across the bridge. What’s more amazing is how polite everyone seems about the cut ins and cut offs. I rarely hear a car horn and never once saw a hand raised in singular gesture.
Across the bridge and through some sort of tunnel brings us to an exit heading towards the Triboro Bridge and Queens. More traffic and my first views of riders splitting lanes. I don’t think it’s legal in New York but there is no way a police car will ever catch someone in this traffic. And again the lane splitting is met with quiet acceptance and I even see cars swinging wide to let the riders advance more easily. New Yorkers really are polite.
We finally get to our destination around 6 PM and start to unpack. This view is from the third floor apartment to which all the contents of the U-Haul and my Ford Ranger must go. And there are no elevators or air conditioning. But with the help of roommate Tara we manage to get everything upstairs in record time and I don’t drop over in the process. All moved in (but nothing unpacked or put together)
I bid my farewells to try and get out of the city before dark and make my way home to the safety of the sticks. As complicated as the path into Queens was to find the apartment I find my way back without incident or loss and onto Interstate 80 traveling West just as it starts to get dark.
The moving took more of a toll on me than I thought and my night vision doesn’t seem as powerful as it once was so when it started to rain it was time to pull into Holiday Inn Express around midnight. That didn’t last long though when I was told a room with tax and fees would be almost $160. I pay less than that for a place right on the beach in Maine.
Suddenly I’m not so tired and I can see all right. Another 25 miles and I know I have to stop and a rest area serves as my respite. It took a few minutes for my 53-year-old 6 foot 2 inch body to find a comfortable sleeping position in the cab of a Ford Ranger but when I did I went out for 5 hours.
Up before dawn and on home rested and satisfied with the trip. I thought about how I could visit Queens on the Vespa but I’m not sure I would want to make that trip. I have to admire those of you who deal with city riding on a regular basis. At least on the expressways in cities. For now I think I will remain scooterless in the city. Amtrak has a nice train that goes from here to New York.
I’m with you! I live in the country too and I don’t like riding my Vespa in the city at all. I admire those who do, but I’ll take my country roads over city traffic any day. When I ride in the city, I take my Grand Marquis!
New York is a singular city in the US, and there is nothing quite like it in the world. It’s a city that most either love or hate, there isn’t much middle ground.
It is a city which I enjoy visiting, but would prefer not to live in, but for the younger folks without children, being in town with all the fun things to do, it cannot be beat.
Hope the daughter loves her new digs, bummer it’s too far away for an afternoon scoot over to enjoy a quick dinner. I dread the day my daughter migrates away from home. Only now, as a parent do I grasp how hard it is to let go…
Tell me you didn’t eat a White Castle? How desperate you must have been. Even after seven weeks on the road (in a Pathfinder mind you), I never stooped so low. California is the worst when it comes to lane splitters — they do it at very high speed. I hate those riders who think they have special privilege to splie the lanes. My daughter moved to the next town over, and that’s far enough.
P’taker
Trips into the city any more put my nerves on high alert. I don’t adapt to the hustle the way I did in the ’80’s when I spent half of every week in Seattle for over a year. Riding would be an adventure for sure.
Have fun,
Bill
sfw3: that’s a personal and thoughtful write up. it’s a milemarker in aleta’s life – and your’s and kim’s too. i really like enzo he seems sincere and honest. so that’s good for aleta. she looks like her mum standing on the truck rear. driving late at night in the rain is difficult at any age. try THAT on a vespa. there will be no joy. yes 80mph on a harley with no protection. that’s a man with no family to support. it’s a little selfish as well as romantic. you know live hard die young and all that. that’s fine when you are 23. not fine when your kids are at home.
paul
Problem is that for many commuters who must move around in big cities, the scooter is the only option, if you don’t want to be trapped in a car for hours. I ride my scooter every day to work, 50km return journey. It takes me 40 minutes in total. If I was to do the same journey by car, it would take me around 1.5 hours in the morning, and 45 minutes at night.
I guess the scooter immediately becomes a valuable city companion in that case…
the motorbike instead is for my leisure, or longer journeys…
By the way, in Europe it is now compulsory everywhere to wear a helmet. unfortunately, you still see a lot of people going around without protecting jackets, or gloves or trousers…
It seems like it’s usually the young ones who ride without helmets. They think their invincible.
What a good Dad!
You couldn’t pay me enough to go to NY, and I really would not go in a Vespa…you chose wisely grasshopper:)
I used to work in NYC before I had my scooter, and while it is an exotic jungle of traffic, I would rather ride than drive. Of course, I drive in a metro area now (very light in comparison). I think metro areas are the ideal environment for scooters because they can keep pace with traffic, and often can move through congestion easier. Diverse world, diverse perspectives.
And btw, you are a natural at this blog thing.
Good luck sleeping on the vespa when exhaustion overtakes you! Cars do have their miserable place…
Just as a by-the-way, I carry an ultralight hammock with me on my Burgman ‘scooter’. It weighs 1 lb, and I can attach it anywhere between two strong upright ‘things.’ For instance, from your Ranger cab door to a lamp post … two trees … fence post & my scooter’s inside handlebar. It’s strangely comfortable. A big microfiber towel to cover. Rain? Get back in the truck.
jenni: My first thoughts parallel yours but with a bit of distance from the trip I am beginning to think about a scooter trip to New York….
dru: New York is a great place and while I am not a city person there is much to attract me.
It is hard to watch your kids move away. Our oldest daughter still lives nearby but one never knows where their lives will carry them.
pitchertaker: It wasn’t my idea. Honest! Aleta chose White Castle because she has heard about them but never visited one.
It is nothing like the ones I frequented as a kid. It is now McDonalds with greasy little burgers. No soul in the physical surroundings. Just a cash generation enterprise with no human patina.
bill: I am going to test my city nerves someday.
paul: Thanks!
demonio: We are nowhere near the acceptance of scooters here in the US as you are in Europe. there remains a huge mental barrier consisting of fear, good hair, unwrinkled clothes, and how to not break the social norms of living on four wheels.
kano: there is just no accounting for thinking processes…
cody: Stay tuned. Sometime I will make the ride to NYC. Can’t be that bad can it???
sundance: Once I got off the bridges and expressways and into Queens I saw many scooters. I just need to figure out the least crazy way into the city… Maybe a ferry across rather than the bridges. Huge potholes about on the roads in. they rattle the hell out of my truck. Would eat the Vespa.
conchscooter: Last night while riding I was thinking about how much more difficult it is to just pull over and sleep. I was lookiing at a corn field and thinking I could run the scooter down a row about 50 yards and spread out a sleeping bag and go to sleep. Then I thought of all the midnight harvesting, Furadan pesticide, and just sort of groaned…
eldercattus: A hammock! What a great idea. I will have to give that some thought.